Burnout
by randxgirl
Summary: "It stopped being a partnership and it stopped being fun." My take on the last 24 hours before Shane McMahon's departure from the WWE in 2009.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1: Stephanie**

 _October 15, 2009, Thursday  
8:27 PM  
Hartford, Connecticut_

 _Lunch tomorrow?_

 **Can't. Working lunch meeting**

 _Early breakfast?_

 **Driving Aurora to school**

 _Ok_

 **Is everything okay?**

 _Yeah_

 **What are you not telling me?**

 _Why should there be something that I'm not telling you?_

 **Why do we need to meet tomorrow?**

 _Don't NEED to. Just wondered if I could see you_

 **Awe, you miss me.**

 _Not really_

 **Shane**

 _What?_

 **What is it?**

Still holding her phone in one hand, Stephanie scratched her head in confusion with the other. Something didn't seem right with the conversation she's having with her only brother. It's not that Shane can't meet her for a meal for no specific reason other than to just catch up. Her gut feel just told her something was up—something unpleasant. She's had a long day at work and she's in no mood for guessing games tonight.

"What's up?" She jumped a bit from where she sat on the kitchen stool upon hearing her husband's voice. She was waiting for the coffee to brew when she received that first text message from her brother while Paul was upstairs packing for a series of shows which begins tomorrow. Before she could answer, the coffee maker let out a sound which signaled that it was done. Making her way to the machine, Steph only had two words as a response. "It's Shane…"

Noticing his wife's hesitation to continue, Paul just stared back, one eyebrow raised, encouraging her to continue. "He wants to meet for breakfast tomorrow."

Paul shrugged. "Then meet him."

"I can't. I'm driving Aurora to school tomorrow."

"Do lunch."

"I have a lunch meeting."

"Dinner?" Paul offered one last time.

Steph wondered how they didn't consider dinner as an option. "He didn't ask…", she said softly, as if talking to only herself. That's when she realized how she immediately jumped to conclusion that something was up with Shane and she tried to get into it at once before even trying to see if they could do dinner instead. Feeling bad for being typical her, she picked up the phone to send him another message. No more than thirty seconds later, her phone beeped again. Unfortunately, dinner was negative.

"He can't. He's up to something and he's not telling me."

"Why does he have to tell you anything?" Not that Paul is questioning the closeness of the siblings. He's known the whole family for more than a decade now, has witnessed how, despite their onscreen persona, the McMahons are a tight, solid unit in real life. And as of October 25, 2003, he's been a part of that—birthdays, anniversaries, overnight sleepovers, weekend staycations and even their family group chat. He doesn't need any more proof how close his wife is to her brother, despite both leading extremely busy respective lives.

Stephanie looked to him with a frown on her face, as if questioning back his question. Paul simply stared back. Suddenly realizing a plan, Stephanie picked up her phone as if looking for something. Curious about the twinkle in the woman's eyes, Paul approached her to peek at her phone by looking over her shoulder. She's in her contacts, somewhere in the K's, then starting to slow down with her swiping, as if she was near her goal. Seeing Steph suddenly stop at the beginning of the M's, Paul just knew whom his wife was going to call. There's no one else.

"Are you seriously going to harass a pregnant woman who's probably resting right now just because you THINK her husband is keeping something from you?" Paul knew Stephanie was crazy. It is part of what he loves about her. But this was just too much, wasn't it?

"Yes, especially if said woman loves me more than she does her own husband." Steph responded confidently. Not that it was an exaggeration. Steph has known Marissa for as long as Shane has known the girl who eventually became his wife. They all grew up together as neighbors in Greenwich. Stephanie can swear that there have been moments (A LOT) when Shane was jealous of the attention his own sister got from his then girlfriend. Marissa may have been Stephanie's sister-in-law for more than a decade now, but they've already ignored the "in-law" part a long time ago.

Before Paul had any chance to respond, he had already heard the woman engage in another conversation. "Hey! How are you?", Steph began.

"And the boys?", referring to Shane's 2 sons, Declan and Kenyon, whom, Steph realized, she hasn't seen since school started after the summer break.

"And the little one inside you?" Marissa, to the whole family's delight, was almost 6 months along with her latest pregnancy, something that came as a surprise to the couple. Everyone is excited with the arrival of the latest addition, albeit it being (still) another boy for Shane. Stephanie remembered teasing Marissa about having made boys cry growing up and paying for it now with having just sons.

"When's your next check-up? Is Shane going with you?" Paul's got to give his wife credit. That was smooth. "How is Shane anyway?"

"Really?" Steph's voice suddenly became half an octave higher, which Paul had to admit, made him curious. "I didn't notice him when I left."

Then the two ladies went on to catch-up with whatever happened wherever since the last time they conversed with each other, which, Paul was sure was just last week at most. He left the kitchen to give the women "privacy", but not before Paul gave his wife a silent nod towards the living room, where he was headed off to.

It wasn't long before Steph joined her husband there, with a cup of coffee in hand for her and a bottle of water in the other for her man. Taking a seat beside him, Steph placed the cup on the table while handing the bottle to him. Immediately, she laid down on the couch, head on his lap, to update him on the "gossip" she got from Marissa.

"Shane's still in the office. Something's really up.", she declared confidently. If she had just a gut feel earlier, she was definitely sure of it now. Shane didn't like not being home long especially with Marissa pregnant. Even Paul can't deny that Steph was probably right and he, too, was intrigued on what was really going on. If anyone asks, he was simply concerned. It's his only brother-in-law who's involved here.

"Do breakfast tomorrow", he offered. The big eyes, slightly opened mouth of his wife told him she was surprised with it. Before she got to argue with him, he proceeded, "I'll take Aurora to school after the nanny arrives for Murphy."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. Go."

Reaching for her phone once more, Steph typed a quick message to her brother. Hopefully, he wasn't on the road yet so he could reply quickly.

 **When and where for breakfast tomorrow?**

 _Pick you up at 7_

Steph sighed, saying a silent prayer hoping she was wrong about something going on.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2: Linda**

 _October 15, 2009, Thursday  
9:18 PM  
Greenwich, Connecticut_

Linda was in the living room doing research while waiting for her husband to come home. She has resigned from the family company almost a month ago, with plans to run for Senate. Television and politics may be two different fields, but just the same, she needs to research to understand her audience. For tonight, this won't be long as Vince should be home soon. He sent her a message about half an hour ago saying that he was about to leave Headquarters. Last night, he mentioned something about having to meet their only son, Shane, who also works as an executive in the company, but that meeting would have to happen post-office hours as both had a full day. He didn't mention the agenda of the meeting and that was fine with her. She knew that when it comes to her kids, albeit both being adults with their own kids already, regardless of nature (whether it be professional or personal), she was going to be informed of matters whenever appropriate.

A few minutes later, she heard Vince's car pull into the driveway. He's home. A little while later, the door opened to reveal the 64-year-old owner-now-also-CEO, still clad in his 3-piece suit. "Hey!", he says with a nod to his wife of 43 years. Linda immediately noticed that he looks more tired than usual. His eyes gave it all away. That meeting likely didn't go well, which, if she were honest, was not a surprise given the amount of tension she can picture going on between father and son recently based on what Vince has been sharing with her lately. Not to mention the stories from the other side she's been getting from her only daughter-in-law, whom she spends time with on the phone at least 5 minutes a day, regardless of date, time, location, topic or degree of being busy. Updates from the past few weeks have been a bit sour though, as it seems like a conflict brewed every time Vince and Shane met at work. It didn't help matters that everyone has been so busy in their respective lives that the family as a whole hasn't really had the time to meet and just chill at someone's place in the past quarter. How bad did things go between owner and his EVP, Global Media after tonight's meeting is the real concern.

Getting up from the couch, Linda walked the few steps separating her from her husband, who was now taking off his coat after having loosened his tie. Retrieving the clothing item from the other while giving Vince a quick kiss, Linda was on wife-mode, first concerned if the man has been fed. "Are you hungry?"

"We ordered food.", he replied while taking his shoes off and putting them on the rack as Linda was particular about keeping things in order. At least she was sure the two most important men in her life took care of themselves physically.

"So how did it go?" She was back on the couch unconsciously trying to feel as comfortable as possible as she braced herself for this latest development.

Vince walked back, taking the couch across her and let out a bereaved sigh. That didn't give Linda comfort at all.

"He quit.", he said somberly as he rubbed his eyes.

It was silent for half a minute as Linda was trying to process what she was just told. Did she just hear her husband say that their only son quit from the family business he's been part of full-time for the last 16 years? Their son, who, growing up only had his eyes set on that business and nothing else? Their son, who, no matter how much he says otherwise, she knew was excited to have his own sons join the company as fifth generation. "He… what…?". The blonde had to shake her head a bit as she may just be hallucinating, right? She must be.

"He quit.", Vince repeated, this time, with conviction. It was real. It was real? How can it be real?

"What happened?" There must be a rational reason for all of this. She left the family business last month because she was running for public office. Shane left because of what? It couldn't just be because he and his father haven't been getting along more than usual.

"He said he was no longer happy. So I gave him what he wanted." He shrugged.

Linda wondered. How is Vince responding like this wasn't a big deal. Why does it seem like it wasn't their only son who has just resigned from the family business? "What exactly happened, Vince?"

"He came in, handed me a paper tendering his resignation, we talked, I accepted, he left, I left."

"You just accepted? Vince, how can you JUST accept? What did he say?" It's not that Linda was outraged. She was more like in disbelief. Vince, for whatever reason, was not telling her the complete story and of course, she wanted to know. It was her husband, their own son and their company involved in this fiasco after all.

"He said his piece—how he was no longer happy. What was I supposed to do?" The question was rhetoric though as he got up from the couch and declared that he was going down to the gym to workout.

"Does Steph know?" She rushed in asking. What could their daughter think about this?

Vince shook his head in the negative. "He's the one telling her. I don't know when he's planning to. Don't wait up." was the last she heard before he completely disappeared into the hallway.

Having been married to the man for 43 years, Linda knew to no longer push the envelope. She wasn't offended. She didn't feel like she was being dismissed or left out. Vince was in that mood and he was better off left alone. He needed gym time to let out whatever pent up emotion he currently has. He'd talk to her tomorrow when he's ready—when he's understood for himself how to deal with his own thoughts. For now, she had to let the other most important man in her life know she cared about him, too. Retrieving her phone underneath a stack of papers still scattered on the desk from this evening's work, she shot her only son a simple text message.

 **I'm here for anything, okay?**

It was around three minutes later that the device beeped and lit.

 _Yes, Mom. I know. Love you._


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3: Marissa**

 _October 15, 2009, Thursday  
10:03 PM  
Tribeca, New York_

A kiss on her forehead triggered Marissa's eyes to snap open. She adjusted her vision to focus on her surroundings and search for the "perpetrator". She was on the living room couch with the TV showing some trashy reality show on E! A glance upward later, she found the culprit. Her husband was finally home and he looked defeated. Annoyed, too.

"Why are you squeezing yourself on the living room couch when there's a perfectly arranged king-sized bed in our room?", he asked softly with eyebrows drawn together. He wasn't mad. He was just concerned, which is typical Shane. On-camera, he may be a daredevil with melon-sized balls with all the crazy stunts he has pulled over the years but off-cam, he's a very sweet, laid-back guy, who's primary mission is to protect his loved ones. And tonight, the main target of such affection is his 6-month pregnant wife. She's carrying their third child, another son, and falling asleep on the couch could not be the most comfortable thing.

With voice strained, Marissa let out a reply while trying to get up from the couch. Shane was by her side instantly, one hand on her back, the other on her arm, assisting her up. "I was waiting for you."

"You could have waited for me in bed, you know?", came his sarcastic reply accompanied by a tight lipped smile. His eyes gave away the teasing mood though.

"And I like watching the Kardashians from the couch, which is the real reason why I'm here.", she hit back which resulted in him rolling his eyes. Already thirteen years married and they still banter like that. That's part of how they keep the relationship still fun and playful after all these years.

Once stood, Marissa was quick to return the concern. "Are you hungry? Did you eat?"

"Yeah, we ordered."

"How did it go?"

His lips went back to being a straight line. Instead of answering, Shane gave his wife a proper kiss on the lips before proceeding downward to plant another on her protruding belly.

"How was your day?", he asked once back to her level.

"Shane…", she tried.

"Did you throw up again?", he continued with a hand still on her stomach and the other on her cheek, ignoring her as if she wasn't trying to catch his attention. She's past the first trimester when morning sickness was normal but this morning, she wasn't feeling too well and was throwing up a bit before Shane had to leave for work.

"I'm fine; had crackers and fruits and juice the whole day so I'm okay. How did it go?" She kept her tone mellow as she's trying to remain patient with him.

Then his eyes went somber and that gave it all away. And his lips went tight for a third time in five minutes. Not that Marissa didn't notice his disposition when she first saw him tonight either. She just wanted to hear it from him. She wanted to hear everything. She'll never get tired of listening to him.

"I did it." It may be brief but Marissa knew exactly what he meant.

She looked at him with empathetic eyes, feeling his pain, his loss, his grief. "What did Vince say?"

"He accepted".

"Did you tell him everything?" Marissa wasn't sure if she was surprised that Vince accepted his only son's resignation from their family business just like that. Maybe she expected that the father would tell the son to think about it more, to sleep on it, to let the weekend pass first. She's sure that's how it happened in most companies when a vital executive submitted his resignation. How could Vince have accepted her husband's resignation in a matter of three hours? Were things really that bad already between father and son?

"Yeah," he replied dismissively, now eyes on everywhere except her. "I'm gonna head up and check on the boys."

She sighed and simply nodded. He didn't want to talk, which was fine because she knew Shane didn't do well with emotions. That's how she knew how it was a big deal when he first expressed his feelings for her some twenty three years ago. It was an unusual Shane moment and over the years, they'd resurface once in a while but those were very rare. There was their engagement, their wedding and the birth of their boys, but generally, he played things cool and light, no matter how tragic or celebratory an event was. Hell, she didn't even remember him being that mad when he found out how his father was having extra-marital affairs some years ago. She remembered being outraged when she found out her own dad doing the same to her mom and completely cut off all ties with the older man since her parents divorced more than two decades ago. She hasn't seen or heard from the older Mazzola since then. But not Shane. Shane and Vince remained to be best friends—the older McMahon was even the best man at their wedding.

He was heading up when she retrieved the remote to turn the TV off. After picking up a bottle of water from the kitchen, she made her way up the stairs as well. If he didn't want to talk, they'd just cuddle. She needs to let him know she's got his back. And front. And both sides. She's got all of him always 'til death do them part.


End file.
